Born today in 1968, Bradley Nowell could have been one of the biggest rock stars of the 1990s. His band Sublime was set to rocket to fame and fortune on the back of their major label debut in 1996. Packed with hits like "Santeria" and "What I Got", their eponymous debut reached #13 and spent over two years on the album chart. 

Growing up in Long Beach, California, Nowell became interested in music at an early age. He formed a band in high school called Hogan's Heroes that became Sublime by 1988. Sublime grinded out the punk ethos while playing small shows and self-recording on stolen time in high school and college studios. The band released two albums in this manner, along with one proper studio recording "40 Oz. to Freedom", before attracting the attention of MCA Records.

1996 was shaping up to be a big year for Nowell. "Sublime" was recorded in February and Nowell got married on May 18. One week later he was found dead of a heroin overdose in a San Francisco motel. "Sublime" was released on July 30.